He warned that the requirements could make it difficult for low-income households to access food, particularly in neighbourhoods where small convenience stores and bodegas are among the few available grocery retailers. (File Iage)
\n\nNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has secured a 90-day delay in the implementation of new food stocking requirements for retailers participating in the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), giving bodegas and convenience stores across the country more time to comply.
\n\nMamdani said the extension would take effect on Friday following discussions with US President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
\n\nThe new guidelines, introduced by the US Department of Agriculture, were due to take effect on November 4. They require participating retailers to stock at least seven varieties of food in each of four staple categories: dairy, grains, protein, and fruits or vegetables.
\n\nStores must also ensure that perishable products are available in at least three of those categories.
\n\nMamdani said the rules had created uncertainty for more than a million New Yorkers and tens of millions of people across the country who depend on SNAP benefits to purchase groceries.
\n\nHe warned that the requirements could make it difficult for low-income households to access…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/world
